Traffic Jam
by Sebastina Michaelis
Summary: Levi can't wait any longer and ends up proposing to Armin while they're stuck in traffic


Traffic Jam

Levi changed stations on the radio a few more times before turning the car off and sitting in silence. Being stuck in traffic agitated him more than it did me. You couldn't really expect much less with rush hour upon us, but waiting for an accident to clear was another story. The open road beyond all the broken glass and a stray tire called to him. Jingling keys filled the silence, and I caught him gazing out the window again. I turned the page of my book and leaned the seat a little farther back. Whatever it was, he seemed a lot more agitated than what traffic usually did to him. I was waiting for him to start talking to himself...or at me. Either way it wouldn't be too hard to make it seem like I was listening. My input wouldn't really change anything.

_I know we should have taken the back roads._ If Levi didn't have such a led foot he would constantly insist we took the highway, I wasn't about to point it out right now, but this would serve as a perfect example for next time when he decided 'we can make' was his only excuse.

He checked the time one more, before sighing. The cops were still standing around while waiting for a tow truck and a clean up crew. Paramedics had already came and left; now there wasn't really much to look at other than wasted tax dollars.

_There's no way we're going to make it on time, even if Levi's pressing one hundred the whole way._ Levi must have had the same thought as me, because I caught him reaching into his pocket after some contemplation. Something landing in my lap started me, and I nearly dropped my book. Levi pretended not to notice my apparent confusion as I reached for the box he had thrown at me, and continued to gaze out the driver's side window. "What's this for?"

I slipped my book into it's place between the middle console and the passenger's seat, hoping he would enlighten me. "I can return it if you don't want it."

"I- I never said that." I weighted the small box in the palm of my hand before flipping the top back. A silver ring stared back at me, glinting orange in the light from the setting sun. _What? Did he just…?_ I slipped it out of it's place and read the inscription, feeling a small smile work it's way onto my face. _This can't be real._ "Don't start crying!"

I quickly wiped my face on the sleeve of my shirt and straightened. "Sorry, I didn't…" Trailing off, I slipped the ring onto my left hand. I watched the light reflect off of it for a few seconds while all the emotions rushing around inside of me settled, until I was left feeling strangely warm. "It's perfect."

Levi took my hand in his as I looked over him. His lips brushed against the back of my hand as he asked, "Is that a yes?"

"Yes. It is most definitely a yes."

He kissed my hand a few times before pulling and leaning back, undoing the top couple buttons on his shirt. A frustrated sigh escaped him as he vented, "This whole this is bullshit. It wasn't supposed to happen like this."

"I don't mind."

"I do." He paused for awhile then added, "This was supposed to be special… I just couldn't bring myself to wait any longer. "

Trying to lighten the mood even a bit, I smiled and jokingly commented, "Well nobody's ever proposed to me while stuck in traffic before."

Levi frowned at the steering wheel and returned to his aimless fidgeting. He didn't see, to notice as I climbed into his lap, albeit with some difficulty. He huffed and laced his fingers together behind my back. "What did I do to get stuck with you?"

I shrugged, wrapping my arms around the headrest. "Beats me, you'll figure it out eventually." After a pause, I added, "I want a tree at the wedding."

He rolled his eyes and asked, "A tree?"

I nodded as he swiped his thumb across my bottom lip. "A big, leafy one."

After I kissed his fingertips, he brushed back some of my hair. "You're too simple."

"That's bad?"

"I never said that." He rested his hand along the side of my face. "It's just like you. It so easy to get you to smile."

I leaned into his hand and place one of my hands over his, feeling my skin warm at his touch. It may have only further proved his point, but I replied, "This is better than a fancy dinner."

"It'd be even better if I wasn't stuck in my fucking car."

"You're the one who just had to have the prius."

"Yeah. You gotta save the big ass trees you like so much and the fucking polar bears."

Sighing softly I buried my face in his neck and jokingly replied, "Get that as a bumper sticker. "Save the fucking earth, don't be a dumb ass."

Nodding, I kissed his collarbone. "With a ton of PETA stickers and 'meat is murder'."

I could hear him rolling his eyes as he stated, "PETA is horrible and I'll eat as many cows and chickens as I want. Nobody is going to stop me." He buried his fingers in my hair and pulled me closer, "not even you."

Leaning into his kiss, I hummed softly and rested my hands along the sides of his face. He trailed kisses along my neck while we caught our breath. Occasionally his teeth would graze the skin there before he nudged me backward. The high-pitched horn went off, startling the both of us. _Oh god._ I started to climb out of his lap as Levi snorted and leaned back in his chair. "Forget something?"

"It's not funny!"

I could feel my face growing hotter as he peered over my shoulder, a lazy smile stretching across his yanked me back into his lap and commented, "Looks like our friendly, neighborhood crossing guard is coming to make sure we're all right."

"What?!" I tried pulling out of his arms again, but Levi wasn't about to budge. _This is so embarrassing._

"Relax."

"No, let me go!"

"No. I'd love to see you in handcuffs, because he's going to arrest you for disturbing the peace."

I smacked his arm after my heart skipped a beat and buried my face in his neck again. "What peace? It hasn't been quiet for two hours!" The cop tapped on the window. _Out of all the times…_

Levi reached around me and started the car again before slowly rolling down the window as the engine purred to live. "Can I help you?"

I could feel his eyes on me as he bluntly pointed out, "You can't drive like that sir."

Feeling a bit cheerful, Levi sarcastically replied, "Gee, I never would have guessed." The muscles in his stomach tightened when I pinched him and he added to me, "Don't be rude, I'm trying to talk to someone."

I sharply exhaled, having half the mind to scold him like a child. "You're the one being rude."

"It's a miracle! It lives!" _Did he really just call me an it!_

I climbed out of his lap and folded my arms over my chest, planning to ignore him until we got to wherever we were going to go after this. "I'm going to need to see your license, sir."

Levi made no effort to find it and asked, "Armin where's my license?"

"This is your car! Why would I know?" I reached for the glovebox but he stopped me, telling me that's where the first aid kit was. He started rummaging through the middle console, and pulled out a few CD cases before producing his licence. "You keep a first aid kid in your car?"

While the cop did whatever he intended to do, Levi explained, "It's in the driver's handbook. There's a blanket and some water in the trunk."

"I haven't read that thing since high school."

I put my seatbelt back on as he smirked and replied, "It wasn't that long ago."

"I'm almost twenty-five!"

Levi tucked his license away and rolled the window up after the cop had directed him to continue on down the wreckage free highway. After coasting out of the area, and view of the police, he was once again pushing a hundred. _He's going to get another ticket at this rate._ "What's wrong Mr. Ackerman? Don't you like living life on the edge?"

Unused to him using his last name for me, I couldn't formulate a response right away. It was weird, but not in an uncomfortable way. _Mr. Ackerman… I could get used to that._ Taking a deep breath, I slipped my hand into his free one and leaned back, closing my eyes. "No, the polar bears wouldn't like it.


End file.
